Journal-bearing



(No Model.)

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Penna c o., muro-umn., wunmorcn u c UNITED STATES i PATENT OFFICE.

SUMNER A. BEMIS, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

JOURNAL-BEARING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.` 431,642, dated July 8, 1890.

Application filed March 3, 1890. Serial No. 342,394. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SUMNER A. BEMIs, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Springield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Journal-Bearings, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to improvements in journal-boxes for railway-oars, the same being designed especially for employment on streetrailway cars, although the use thereof is not confined to this class of conveyances.

The main object of the invention is to the end of adapting the journal-box for supporting the axle inside of the car-wheel instead of outside thereof, as has been usual heretofore, and otherwise the purpose of the invention is to generally improve the construction of axle-boxes, whereby they are rendered of the utmost utility and eiciency.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts, all substantially as will hereinafter more fully appear and be set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings an embodiment of the invention is illustrated, Figure 1 being a sectional elevation longitudinally and showing a portion of the car-wheel axle and centrally through the journal-box. Fig. 2 is in part an elevation of the journal-box as seen from the inside thereof, and in part a vertical cross-section of the box, taken on the line 2 2, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of a lower detail part of the box, taken about on the line 3 3, Fig. 2,'the rear inclosing-cap being also shown as removed from its operative position in relation to the box. Fig. et is a perspective view of the journal-box, and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a half of the rear end inclosing or dust cap for the box.

The j ournal-box A is formed of two casingsections B C, their union being, in the lbox here illustrated, in a horizontal plane; but this feature, while preferable, is of course not essential, for in lieu of upper and lower sections to compose the box side sections might be employed with their junction in a vertical plane coincident with the car-wheel axle D. The casing-sections are internally formed, so that when both thereof are joined to compose the box the axle may freely pass through the chamber of the box and through the openings ct a in both ends thereof. The side walls of the casing-sections are re-enforced by extra stock, as at b, whereby suflicient strength is afforded to resist the strain of the bolts d, which pass vertically through the said reenforced portions at opposite sides of the axle, and at each side of the said re-enforced portions of the casing-sections-that is, in directions therefrom longitudinally of the box-the sections are provided with the laterally-extended ribs e e., which form the walls of a groove extending vertically down the middle of each side of the box for the engagement therewith of the pedestals of the car. The lips c on the side walls of one of the casing-sections slightly overlying the Walls of the other section prevent lateral shifting of one section on the other. This box is principally designed for use on the axle inside of thewheel, and the box, considered as a whole, is provided outside of both its end openings o. with concentric annular spaces f f, and the outer `wall of each of said spaces has at its end an inwardly-projecting ange g. The axle just inside of the wheel is to be providedwith a concentric annular rib h, which surrounds the axle at some distance from its periphery, and -is adapted to extend into the said annular space fin the adjacent end of the j ournal-box. Between the one side wall of thesaid annular rib and the opposing outerside wall of thesaid annular space a packing-ring G, formed of textile or other suitable compressible or flexible material, is inserted, whereby the dust is excluded from the journal-box at that side thereof. The said iiange g, preventing any longitudinal movement thereof, serves to confine the packing-ring in place. The said annular-rib h, mentioned as supported on the axle, may be comprised as IOO the said separable sections together and toA form as a single part the said annular dustcap. The said dust-cap is provided with an annular rib q on its face toward the journalbox which projects into the said annular spacef in the adjacent end of the journalbox, and between the outer surface or periphery of said rib q and the outer wall of the annular space into which said rib is entered, a flexible packing-ring G', similar to the one G, is placed.

The upper casing-section is provided interlnediately thereof on its inner side with atransverse groove s, and the j ournal-brass l-I, Awhich exteriorly bears upon the inner peripheral surface of the upper casing-section, is exteriorly provided with a transverse rib t to engage with said groove s, and the portion of the axle D comprised within the length of said brass is provided with a peripheral rib u, which engages with a correspondingly-formed groove transversely formed within the inner periphery of the journal-brasrs. Due to this engagement the brass and the box interlocked with it can have no longitudinal movement on the axle.

The lower journal-box casing-section has its bottom portion formed to constitute an oilcellar J, and there is provided therein a substantially V-shaped spring-holder L to rest on the bottom of said cellar, and hav-ing by its upwardly-extending branched members normally an inward force or retraction, and

said branched portions embrace a V-shaped capillary or wick w, and are adapted to press the terminal portions of the capillary material into contact with practically-opposite sides of the periphery of the axle, whereby the oil may be taken up from the oil-cellar and distributed in the bearing. The bearing no obstruction outside of the plane of the wheels renders it practicable to provide cars equipped with this kind of bearings with footboards running longitudinally of the car and more or less nearly on a level with the axle, as is desirable in street-railway cars for reasons not necessary to mention.

l/Vhat I claim as my invention isl. In a journal-bearing, a journal-box having openings in its ends leading to the 'boxchamber and either end thereof formed outside of said opening with an annular space, the ou ter wall of which space is provided with an inwardly-extending projection g, and the packing-ring lying against said outer wall and held against. outward movement longitudinally of the box by said projection, combined with an annular part ou the axle, which has an annular rib projecting into said annular space, and by its outer surface having a bearing upon the inner peripheral surface of said packing-ring, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a journal-bearing, with the axle provided at a suitable distance inside of the wheel with a shoulder, as m, oi a journal-box having openings in its ends leading to the box-chamber, whereby the axle may pass through the box by its portion inside of the wheel, an annular dust-cap'formed of separable sections for encircling the axle adjacent to the inner end of the box, and means for the union of said sections, said dust-cap having between it and tlfe adjacent end of the box a suitable packing of flexible material, and the said dust-cap being held against endwise movement inwardly on the axle by said axle-shoulder, substantially as described. y i

3. A journal-box consisting of upper and lower casing-sections and means for confining the one upon the other, a j ournal-brass in said upper section which has a rib and groove engagement with t-he upper wall thereof, and having in' its inner surface a transverselyextending groove, combined with a peripheral rib on an intermediate portion of the axle, substantially as shown.v i

SUMNER A. BEMIS.

lVitnesses:

WM. S. BELLows, G. M. CHAMBERLAIN. 

